Whom the Gods Would Destroy is a historical novel written by Richard P. Powell and published in 1970 by Charles Scribner's Sons. The title is currently out of print but available as an Amazon Kindle book.
The story is set during the Trojan War and is narrated by a boy named Helios, who claims to be the illegitimate son of Priam.
Contents
Characters
The following fictional characters were invented for the novel.
Helios: The narrator of the novel. He may be an illegitimate son of King Priam.
Oliana: A Trojan bread baker. Foster mother of Helios.
Polydextus: The Trojan Master of Stables of the Dardanian Gate. Foster father of Helios.
Milentius: The Trojan son of the Captain of the Palace Guard.
Orynia: Helios' birth mother. Born on Rhodes and then became a Trojan slave. She died when Helios was born.
Sardon: A Hittite from the East who was allowed to stay at Troy because of his knowledge of horses.
Antimachus: An elderly Trojan counsellor.
Sisycles: Head scribe of the Trojan palace.
Deira: The great-granddaughter of Theseus and Ariadne. She is a Cretan princess, an heiress of northern Skyros, and a priestess of Rhea.
Lycteus: A minor noble of Lyrnessus, a spy of Priam.
Alcimus: A young Achaean officer.
Idaeus: The herald of Priam.
The novel also includes these mythological characters from the story of the Trojan War.
Priam
Paris
Cassandra
Nestor
Apollo
Hector
Troilus
Helen
Menelaus
Andromache
Aeneas
Agamemnon
Antenor
Gaia
Laomedon
Hecuba
Achilles
Odysseus
Diomedes
Neoptolemus
Machaon
Lycomedes
Calchas
Rhesus of Thrace
Automedon
Briseis
Polyxena
Othryoneus
Thersites
Plot
Chapter 1: The story begins with the narration of Helios at the age of 70. He reflects back to when he was 8 years old and lived in Troy. En route to deliver a pot of cooked meat to his foster father Polydextus, he is confronted by Milentius. Milentius demands the food from Helios and when he refuses, Milentius trips him. The pot of meat shatters and the food is soiled. Helios threatens that his alleged father, King Priam will find out. Milentius threatens to hurt him unless he denies King Priam as his father. Helios retracts his statement just as Prince Paris approaches. Paris mentions how he heard the rumours of Priam having too much wine and meeting a pretty slave girl in a dark corridor and thus leading to the birth of Helios. Paris tells Milentius he did no wrong and says the story sounds absurd due to the age of Priam at the time of conception. Helios returns home and shares the salvaged food with Polydextus. Polydextus then tells Helios how important his heritage is, and he has done a great wrong by denying it when pushed by a bully. He then whips Helios to both punish him and teach him to deal with pain.
Chapter 2: One day Helios climbed a secret stair to the roof of the palace. He decided to offer a sacrifice to the sun, whom his birth mother worshipped. While lying naked on the roof he is surprised by Cassandra, who was the youngest daughter of Priam and several years older than Helios. She says she overheard Paris telling the story of what happened between Helios and Milentius to Priam, and she did not think that Priam cared to hear it too much. After examining Helios she asks him to look into her eyes where he sees a blinding glow. She then insists that the power of the sun will enter him in time. After leaving the roof Helios is attacked by Milentius and another boy. Helios successfully fends them off, swinging a dead branch that fell off the sacred bay tree. He yells that he is in fact a son of Priam. Prince Hector stops Helios from fighting them off, and then shows him to Priam. Priam asked Helios to return home while he considered the matter. Cassandra followed after Helios, giving him the dead branch he swung earlier telling him it is an honor of Apollo to receive a sacred weapon. At home he sacrificed the branch with Polydextus as an offering of thanks to the Gods. Shortly after, Hector arrived to inform Helios and his foster parents that Priam is not displeased. He has not officially acknowledged Helios as his son, but would like him to work at the palace as stable boy.
Chapter 3: After becoming stable boy, Polydextus and Troilus train Helios in chariot fighting and javeling. Polydextus, Troilus, and Sardon would also discuss battle strategies. Helios would ride a horse on an occasion which were not meant to be ridden due to their small stature, and would be whipped by Polydextus as punishment. Nine summers of training later Helios "gained three fingers in height", and his weight "balanced that of a sack of wheat". This was an improvement, but not by much. One morning Hector allowed Helios to accompany him to meet Paris, who was returning from his mission across the sea. Hector & Helios are introduced to Helen of Sparta, who accompanied Paris back to Troy along with her dowry meant for Menelaus. Paris insults Helios, causing him to leap at him in anger. Paris begins to whip Helios, but Polydextus draws a blade and prepares to fight. A woman screams for Hector, who stops the fight and explains to Paris that Priam has not acknowledged or denied Helios' bloodline. Paris accepts the explanation, but Helios says he knows they will never be friends. They all travel to Troy together.
About the author
In the fall of 1924 Powell began studying Virgil's Aeneid in Latin class at the Episcopal Academy, on Philadelphia's Main Line, and became fascinated by the characters and story of the Trojan War. Forty-four years later he climbed around the site of ancient Troy as part of his research for the book. (From the dust jacket of the 1970 edition published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.)